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United States Patent |
5,634,787
|
Frigiere
|
June 3, 1997
|
Cigarette lighter including a safety ignition system
Abstract
A cigarette lighter for use with a volume of fuel includes a body. At least
one projection extends from the body and defines at least one opening,
which includes a first area bounded on at least one side by a curved leg
and a second area bounded on at least one side by a flat leg. An ignition
system includes a flint, a knurled wheel, and at least one elongated stub
coaxial with the knurled wheel. A cross-section of the at least one stub
has at least one flattened face. An engagement portion of the at least one
stub extends into the at least one opening such that the knurled wheel is
moveable between a first resting position wherein the engagement portion
of the at least one stub is disposed in the second area of the at least
one opening such that the at least one flattened face of the at least one
stub communicates with the flat leg of the at least one opening to prevent
the knurled wheel from rotating relative to the flint, and a second
operational position wherein the engagement portion of the at least one
stub is disposed within the first area of the at least one opening such
that the knurled wheel is rotatable relative to the flint.
Inventors:
|
Frigiere; Rene (Charbonnieres, FR)
|
Assignee:
|
Cricket (Rillieux La Pape, FR)
|
Appl. No.:
|
657099 |
Filed:
|
June 3, 1996 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
431/153; 431/277 |
Intern'l Class: |
F23D 011/36 |
Field of Search: |
431/153,277
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
5002482 | Mar., 1991 | Fairbanks et al.
| |
5125829 | Jun., 1992 | McDonough et al.
| |
5197870 | Mar., 1993 | Yang.
| |
5271731 | Dec., 1993 | Hsin-Chung.
| |
5490773 | Feb., 1996 | Loveras Capilla | 431/153.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
93/17282 | Sep., 1993 | FR.
| |
95/04247 | Feb., 1995 | WO.
| |
Primary Examiner: Price; Carl D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oliff & Berridge
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cigarette lighter for use with a volume of fuel, comprising:
a body;
at least one projection extending from the body and defining at least one
opening that includes a first area bounded on at least one side by a
curved leg and a second area bounded on at least one side by a flat leg;
and
an ignition system including a flint, a knurled wheel, and at least one
elongated stub coaxial with the knurled wheel, a cross-section of the at
least one stub having at least one flattened face, an engagement portion
of the at least one stub extending into the at least one opening such that
the knurled wheel is moveable between a first resting position wherein the
engagement portion of the at least one stub is disposed in the second area
of the at least one opening such that the at least one flattened face of
the at least one stub communicates with the flat leg of the at least one
opening to prevent the knurled wheel from rotating relative to the flint,
and a second operational position wherein the engagement portion of the at
least one stub is disposed within the first area of the at least one
opening such that the knurled wheel is rotatable relative to the flint.
2. A cigarette lighter according to claim 1, further comprising a tank
disposed in an aperture of the body for accommodating the fuel.
3. A cigarette lighter according to claim 2, wherein the fuel is liquified
petroleum gas.
4. A cigarette lighter according to claim 3, further comprising a valve
mounted on the tank and a controller for actuating the valve to
controllably release fuel from the tank.
5. A cigarette lighter according to claim 4, further comprising a spring
disposed to hold the flint against the knurled wheel.
6. A cigarette lighter according to claim 5, further comprising a drive
wheel mounted to, and coaxial with, the knurled wheel, the knurled wheel
and drive wheel forming a drive assembly, whereby the drive wheel is
operated manually to rotate the knurled wheel.
7. A cigarette lighter according to claim 6, wherein the at least one stub
includes a pair of stubs, the stubs being attached to opposite sides of
the drive assembly.
8. A cigarette lighter according to claim 7, wherein the at least one
opening is substantially V-shaped such that a vertex of the at least one
substantially V-shaped opening is disposed opposite the flint, and the
spring pushes the at least one stub to the vertex of the at least one
substantially V-shaped opening when the knurled wheel is in the first
resting position.
9. A cigarette lighter according to claim 8, wherein the controller
includes a manually operable lever and the flat leg of the at least one
opening is adjacent the lever.
10. A cigarette lighter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
projection and the body are formed as a single integral unit.
11. A cigarette lighter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
projection is attached to the body.
12. A cigarette lighter according to claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature
of the curved leg of the first area of the at least one opening is large
enough to allow the at least one stub to rotate when the engagement
portion of the stub is disposed in the first area of the at least one
opening.
13. A cigarette lighter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stub
has a polygonal cross-section.
14. A cigarette lighter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one stub
has a triangular cross-section.
15. A cigarette lighter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
projection is a mounting tab that is integral with the body.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cigarette lighter including a safety
ignition system.
A cigarette lighter generally includes a tank designed to contain a fuel
such as liquefied petroleum gas, a valve mounted on the tank allowing the
gas to leave the tank, a lever-controlled system for opening and closing
the gas flow, a gas flowrate regulating system, and an ignition system. In
known fashion, the latter comprises a flint cooperating with a knurled
wheel and, usually, a protective cap. The knurled wheel is mounted on a
shaft between two drive wheels.
When the knurled wheel, in contact with the flint, is made to rotate by
means of drive wheels and the user's finger, a shower of sparks is created
and is followed, when this same finger acts on the gas opening lever, by
release of a quantity of gas. The shower of sparks then ignites the gas,
producing a flame which projects above the cap.
Such a system already requires positive action on the part of the user to
produce and maintain a flame and requires two movements that are
independent of each other--rotation of the knurled wheel and action on the
gas opening lever--to produce a flame.
However, it is a goal to increase the difficulty of using such lighters, so
that children under the age of five cannot produce flames therewith.
There already exist lighters in which an additional difficulty must be
overcome to produce a flame, and several patents or patent applications
describe such lighters, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,829 and 5,002,482 or
international patent applications WO-93/17282 and WO-95/04247.
The cigarette lighters described in these documents, have, by comparison to
a lighter of the prior art, an additional device rendering access to the
drive wheels of the knurled wheel more difficult or blocking movement of
the gas opening lever.
Because of this, these lighters have a complex structure entailing high
manufacturing costs. Moreover, use of these lighters is complicated and
requires a set of instructions. Even adults may experience some difficulty
in using such lighters and require a learning period.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A goal of the present invention is to furnish a cigarette lighter easily
usable by an adult but difficult for a child, particular a child under
five years of age, to use, which has few differences from a cigarette
lighter of the aforementioned type.
Another goal of the invention is to furnish a reliable, tamperproof safety
system that is constantly in action, without prior intervention.
Another goal is for the operation of the lighter to be as close as possible
to operation of a lighter of the aforementioned type, so that the user
needs no instructions and no prior learning before using the lighter.
For this purpose, the invention relates to a gas cigarette lighter of the
type having a tank designed to contain a liquefied petroleum gas, a valve
mounted on the tank and allowing the gas to leave the latter, a gas flow
opening and closing system, as well as an ignition system having a flint
cooperating with a knurled wheel and a spring keeping the flint in contact
with the knurled wheel, the latter being driven rotationally by at least
one drive wheel mounted coaxially with the knurled wheel.
According to the invention, the assembly formed by the knurled wheel and
the drive wheel is equipped, for purposes of rotating it relative to the
lighter body, with two coaxial stubs each of which has at least one flat
side and is accommodated in an opening provided in the body or in a part
mounted thereon and having two legs, a first leg whose end is rounded with
a sufficiently large radius of curvature to allow the stub to rotate when
it is accommodated in this leg, and a second leg having a flat surface
designed to cooperate with the flat side of the stub to immobilize the
latter rotationally when the stub is accommodated in this leg.
To operate this lighter, the user brings the assembly formed by the knurled
wheel and the drive wheels into a position such that the stubs are engaged
in the leg that has a rounded end, then turns the knurled wheel as he
would do with a standard lighter. This pre-positioning is done with the
same finger used to turn the knurled wheel and is thus not a prior action.
The modifications made by comparison to a standard lighter are not
substantial. Indeed, the main and preferably only change is that the
invention modifies the stubs and the openings designed to receive them.
Thus, it is easy to mass-produce the lighters according to the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lighter according to the invention, and
FIG. 2 is a side view, partially in section and on an enlarged scale, of
the lighter of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a view in cross section on an enlarged scale of the ignition
system in the resting position,
FIG. 4 corresponds to the view of FIG. 3 but in the locked position, and
FIG. 5 corresponds to the view of FIG. 3 but in the operating position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In a preferred embodiment, each opening in which a stub is engaged has the
general shape of a V whose vertex is oriented on the side opposite the
flint such that the spring that applies the flint against the knurled
wheel pushes the corresponding stub to the vertex of the V when said
spring is in the resting position. As soon as the user is no longer
applying pressure to the drive wheels, the stubs, under the elastic effect
of the spring, resume the resting position in the vertex of the V. When
the user picks the lighter up again and wishes to use it, he then acts on
the drive wheels in the direction pushing the stubs toward the legs that
are rounded at their ends.
Advantageously, the leg of the V of the opening, which has a flat surface,
is located near the end of the lever on which the user acts to cause gas
to leave the tank. Indeed, the natural tendency of the user, and hence to
an even greater degree that of a child, is to exert an action on the drive
wheels that tends to bring them closer to this end of the lever.
In one advantageous embodiment, each stub is triangular in cross section
or, more generally, the cross sections of the stubs are polygonal.
In one embodiment of the invention, each of the openings accommodating the
stubs is made in one mounting tab that forms a single unit with the body
of the lighter. These mounting tabs can also serve to articulate the lever
to control the opening and closing of the gas flow, and serve to attach a
protective cap.
In any event, the invention will be thoroughly understood with the aid of
the description which follows with reference to the attached schematic
diagrams representing, as a nonlimiting example, one embodiment of this
gas lighter.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a gas cigarette lighter having, in known fashion, a body
1 acting as a tank and designed to contain liquefied petroleum gas.
In the upper part, the tank is provided with a valve 2 allowing gas to
escape when valve 2 is in the open position. A lever 3 controls the
opening and closing of valve 2. A spring 4 acts on lever 3 such that, in
the resting position, valve 2 is closed. The part of lever 3 located
opposite valve 2 is activated by the user when the latter wishes gas to
escape from the tank, to feed a flame for example.
The lighter also has an ignition system allowing the gas leaving valve 2 to
be ignited. This system has a flint 5 and a knurled wheel 6. The latter is
mounted on a shaft 7 and can rotate about the latter. It is cylindrical in
shape and its peripheral surface is knurled.
Flint 6 abuts knurled wheel 6 radially. A spring 8 keeps it in contact.
Thus, when knurled wheel 6 rotates on its shaft 7, sparks are produced and
can ignite gas escaping from valve 2.
Coaxially with knurled wheel 6, two drive wheels 9 are mounted one on each
side of said knurled wheel. These drive wheels 9 can form a single unit
with knurled wheel 6, or they can be separate parts rendered integral with
knurled wheel 6.
These drive wheels 9 are circular disks whose peripheral surfaces forming
the edges are notched. Thus, the coefficient of friction between a finger
10 of the user and these drive wheels 9 is high.
The assembly formed by knurled wheel 6 and drive wheels 9 is provided, at
shaft 7, on each side, with a cylindrical stub 11 that has a triangular
cross section.
Near knurled wheel 6 and lever 3, the tank body has two tabs 12 serving to
hold in particular lever 3, as well as a protective cap and the assembly
constituted by knurled wheel 6 and the drive wheels. All these elements
are located between these two mounting tabs 12 which form a single molded
part with body 1 of the lighter.
Each of stubs 11 is accommodated in an opening 13 provided in a mounting
tab 12. Each opening 13 has the general shape of a V, thus defining three
positions for corresponding stub 11: two positions when this stub is at
the end of one leg of the V and the third position when it is in the
vertex of the V. The latter is opposite the recess receiving flint 5 and
spring 8.
The first leg of the V, the one located near valve 2, is rounded at its end
14. The radius of curvature is sufficiently large to allow corresponding
stub 11 to rotate when the latter is located in this leg. It is sufficient
for this radius of curvature to be greater than the radius of the circle
circumscribing the triangular section of stub 11.
The second leg of the V, opposite valve 2 and near lever 3 designed to be
contacted by a finger 10 of the user, terminates in a flat surface 15.
Thus, when stub 11 engages this end of opening 13, a flat face of stub 11
abuts flat surface 15, thus preventing any rotation of the assembly formed
by knurled wheel 5 and drive wheels 9.
Finally, the base of the V is such that it can accommodate corresponding
stub 11 in any position. At rest, when no action is exerted on drive
wheels 9, stub 11 is accommodated in the base of the V because flint 5,
under the action of spring 8 and through the intermediary of knurled wheel
6, pushes stubs 11 into this position, the base of the V being opposite
the recess of spring 8.
When using the lighter, the user exerts a pressure on drive wheels 9 that
counters spring 8 and stubs 11 accordingly move to one or another of the
legs of opening 13.
The tendency of the user, particularly a child, is to exert an action on
drive wheels 9 that tends to bring them closer to the part of the lever
that must be pressed to cause gas to escape, namely to cause stubs 11 to
penetrate the legs of opening 13 that are provided with a flat surface 15.
When this action is carried out, rotation of knurled wheel 6 is blocked,
preventing any sparks from being struck.
To use the lighter, one must thus first push the assembly formed by knurled
wheel 6 and drive wheels 9 to valve 2, then turn this assembly to produce
sparks and ignite the gas leaving the valve after acting on lever 3.
The modifications to a lighter according to the invention relative to a
lighter of the prior art are not substantial. Indeed, the shape of opening
13 and the shape of the receiving stubs 11 are the main and preferably
only modifications.
The operation of this lighter is very similar to that of a standard
lighter. Once the knurled wheel plus drive assembly is pre-positioned,
operation is identical to that of a standard lighter.
This safety system is continuously in action. The user grasps this lighter
according to the invention in the same way as a standard lighter and no
prior action is necessary since it is only the user's finger, generally a
thumb, that acts on drive wheels 9.
This safety system is also tamperproof because it is not a device added to
a standard lighter which can be removed, but results from a new lighter
design.
It goes without saying that the invention is not confined to the embodiment
of the invention described above as a nonlimiting example, but encompasses
all the variants thereof.
Thus, for example, the stubs can be polygonal rather than triangular in
cross section, or simply have a circular cylindrical cross section with a
flat side without thereby departing from the framework of the invention.
Likewise, the openings receiving the stubs could be made in the mounting
tabs independently of the lighter body, and mounted on the latter by
latching for example.
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